India’s Jindal Stainless Limited (JSL) has developed the country’s first stainless steel containers for salt for transport by government-run Indian Railways (IR) a company statement said on Friday, February 13.
The 20-foot salt container has been fabricated entirely in stainless steel, including all its structural and load-bearing components, it said.
JSL used 304 series stainless steel, known for its superior corrosion-resistance in chloride-rich environments, for the container body, while JT Grade (N7 as per BIS 6911), recognized for its high strength and weight optimization, has been deployed for external stiffeners and underframe components, it added.
The prototype successfully underwent loading and unloading trials at Bhimasar, Gandhidham, Gujarat, underscoring the government's active engagement with innovative, future-ready logistics solutions and signaling an important step towards potential commercial adoption, the statement said.
Traditional containers often face challenges of corrosion, especially when transporting materials like salt, leading to frequent maintenance and replacement. Stainless steel offers superior resistance to corrosion offering enhanced durability and longer lifespan with potential of cost savings for IR, it added.